Dorothy “Dottie” Dillard (3 Aug 1923 – 6 May 2015) was one
of the cornerstone figures of The Nashville Sound of the 1950s and 1960s. As a
member of The Anita Kerr Quartet, Dillard won two Grammy Awards and sang
back-up for a who’s-who of Nashville music.
Dorothy was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri. She attended Drury College where she began her singing career with classmates and sorority sisters, appearing at O'Reilly General Hospital, Red
Cross and the USO
and receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1945.
After graduation she was invited to audition for a radio
program in Nashville. Soon she was an established singer performing with
Snookie Lanson, Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Jimmy Dean
and other artists.
In 1949 she joined The Anita Kerr Quartet as the alto vocalist alongside soprano Kerr. Above is
In 1951 they signed to Decca Records. Producers Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins were soon using them as studio background singers. Dottie also cut some solo singles for Dot during the mid 50’s.
The Anita Kerr Quartet and The Jordanaires helped to
soften the country sound and make it possible for records to become pop as well
as country hits. It is estimated that Dillard sang on one quarter of all the
records made in Nashville in the 1960s. 
The Quartet also gained fame under its own name. In 1956,
the group commuted to New York and won on the nationally televised Arthur
Godfrey Talent Scouts show. They subsequently became regularly featured
vocalists on it.
Back in Nashville, the group had a string of releases on
Decca and RCA Victor, including “Rockin’ Chair,” “Once in a While” and “You and
the Night and Music.” Billed as “The Little Dippers,” they scored a top-10 pop
hit with “Forever” in 1960. In 1962-63, the singers made the lower reaches of
the pop hit charts with “Joey Baby” and “Waiting for the Evening Train.”
The Anita Kerr Quartet was part of the ground-breaking
1964 country package tour of Europe alongside Jim Reeves, Bobby Bare and Chet
Atkins.
During her successful career Dorothy and the quartet sang
background vocals for many recording artists. Among the hits featuring her
vocals are Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (1958) and “I’m
Sorry” (1960), Burl Ives’ “Holly, Jolly Christmas” (1964), Dottie West’s
Grammy-winning “Here Comes My Baby” (1964), Bobby 
Bare’s Grammy-winning “Detroit
City” (1963), Roy Orbison’s “Only the Lonely” (1960) and “Running Scared”
(1961), Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (1957) and “The Three Bells” by The
Browns (1959), which was the first Nashville Sound record to hit No. 1 on the
pop charts.
Bare’s Grammy-winning “Detroit
City” (1963), Roy Orbison’s “Only the Lonely” (1960) and “Running Scared”
(1961), Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (1957) and “The Three Bells” by The
Browns (1959), which was the first Nashville Sound record to hit No. 1 on the
pop charts.
Although the Quartet recorded on its own as well as as back-up,
they also cut a number of tracks under other names. As Anita &
th'So-And-Sos, they had a minor hit with "Joey Baby."
In 1966 the Quartet won two Grammys, one for best vocal
group on the album, "We Dig Mancini" and the second for best vocal
group on a religious album, "George Beverly Shea Sings Southland Favourites
With The Anita Kerr Quartet".
Dillard was a standout in the recording industry as one
of the Anita Kerr singers. She made a host of pop and country stars sound
better with her backup vocals during the '50s, '60s and '70s. She even won a Grammy with Bob Dylan for his
first album.
After a 36 year career in Nashville Dorothy returned to
Springfield in 1981 to care for her 90-year old mother. She was a member of the
Drury Women's Auxiliary, Pi Beta Phi, Home Decor Art Group and was a docent for
Gray/Campbell Farmstead.
Dorothy died of natural causes in Springfield on
Wednesday, May 6, 2015 aged 91. (Info edited from legacy.com & numerous sources)
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